New Zealand, India clash in high-voltage World T20 opener today

After winning 10 of their last 11 T20 internationals, India are red-hot favourites for the World T20 and former batsman Virender Sehwag said last week he was “99 percent certain” they would become the first team to win the trophy for a second time. But there are other strong contenders for title like Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Under-dogs Pakistan and West Indies can never be ruled out in a shorter format.

India’s poor show against NZ in T20s

It’s surprising to note that India have a woeful track record against the Black Caps in World T20 tournaments, losing four out of their five previous encounters while the other match was rained off.

“What we’ve learned from playing in big tournaments in the past is that we have to stay as calm as possible and focus on the skills that need to be executed on the field,” said Kohli.

And although New Zealand have been undermined by inspirational skipper Brendon McCullum’s retirement on the eve of the tournament, their performance in warm-up matches shows they are not lacking for firepower.

They thrashed the holders Sri Lanka last Thursday when Colin Munro, Corey Anderson and Grant Elliott all posted half-centuries in rapid time. Skipper Kane Williamson then smashed an entertaining 63 when New Zealand narrowly lost to England in their final warm-up match on Saturday.

India also suffered a rare defeat in what was an T20 warm-up on Saturday when they lost by four runs to South Africa in another high-scoring match.

With their powerful openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma hitting a purple patch, and the veteran Yuvraj Singh also in good nick, India will expect to post a big total on a batsman-friendly pitch in Nagpur.

Kohli, in top form himself, said rookie Indian bowlers Jaspreet Bumrah and Hardik Pandya would also be crucial to the outcome, saying they had showed few signs of nerves in their fledgling international careers.

Like many of his fellow skippers, Williamson believes that India are the team to beat but says his side — which is still to win a world cup — do not lack in belief.

“No doubt India will be possibly the favourites for this tournament but I think all the teams will come here thinking they can win it,” he said last week.